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8226; Tavleen Singh8217;s contention that our children must know the Indian civilisation Why we need to Indianise our educational system,...

August 1, 2004 12:00 AM IST

4 min read

8226; Tavleen Singh8217;s contention that our children must know the Indian civilisation Why we need to Indianise our educational system, July 25 is correct. In fact, this must form the basis of education in their formative years. However, while it is essential for children to be able to speak the native language fluently, knowledge of English language is equally essential. Confining education to the Indian perspective would have limited advantage. This would blunt the interest among the children to know more of what the language is all about. However, to end the dichotomy in the present day education system and as a precursor to future reforms, educationists, and not politicians, must decide what our children should study.
8212; V P Damodar

8226; Tavleen Singh has rightly raised some pertinent questions about our tendency to display so much 8216;8216;love for Western culture8217;8217; and not caring much to learn about our own heritage and culture which is quite rich and widely acclaimed the world over. I fully endorse her views when she asks 8216;8216;When will we allow Indian children to learn about a heritage that is theirs by right?8217;8217;. I also agree with her when she questions the act of the Education Minister 8216;8216;to see even the process of learning through the prism of secularism and communalism8217;8217; alone.
8212; S K GUPTA

8226; Tavleen Singh8217;s gradual transformation from an objective critical writer to one subscribing to soft Hindutva has been interesting to watch. For example, in her column on 25th July she tells us that, 8216;8216;Indian children need to learn not just about ancient India but about modern India as well8217;8217;. She conveniently forgets that we had medieval India also, and our children must know about it as well. Her euphoria about Vedas is equality misplaced; and constant harping back on Vedas encourages a regressive, dogmatic mindset. In order to exonerate Murli Manohar Joshi, she also conveniently forgets the blatant Hinduisation of not only all the Indian Councils of Research from history to philosophy, but also the establishment of full-fledged centres of astrology in various universities. Vedas and Sanskrit were the staple diets of all Joshi8217;s educational reforms. If to believe that India was perfect a few thousands years ago, and further progress in knowledge is not needed, and that astrology would provide solutions to all our problems is what Indianisation of education means, then I do not want my children to learn it.
8212; Dr Saral Jhingran

8226; Commenting on the Bombay HC verdict ordering the Shiv Sena and BJP to pay compensation for holding a bandh, CPIM leader Prakash Karat said 8216;8216;any curb on democratic protest is against the country8217;s democratic system8217;8217; Sunday Express, July 25. Karat doesn8217;t think there is anything wrong if the Sena or Bajrang Dal hooligans smash windowpanes and furniture of theatres as a moral excuse. Destruction of public and private property is now the birthright of CPIM cadres in Kerala. CPIM top leaders like Karat and Sitaram Yechury, who too were student leaders, must have led agitations, but not such murderous and irresponsible ones. Both of them stood first in their courses in their schools and colleges. Have they ever tried to find out how many of the present student leaders attend classes, not to speak of standing first?
8212; N Kunju

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